Get involved in the 8th annual postcard auction

We're really excited to be holding the 8th annual postcard auction on Margate's Harbour Arm. Make sure you get Saturday the 3rd of September in your diaries now - it's a chance to get your hands on some fantastic bits of art and support the work we do to help people affected by abuse. 

Get involved

GIVE ART

We need postcard sized pieces of art to auction, they can be of anything you like but please sign them on the back, it's a secret auction! Last year we had talented artists from Thanet, the UK and as far away as India who were able to help people living in our refuge. 

Post your artwork to -  Postcard, Oasis, PO Box 174, Margate, Kent, CT9 4GA or dropped off at “The Oasis Shop”, Margate, Kent CT9 1ES (by Friday 8th July). Remember to let us know who you are so we can pop your name in the catalogue!

VOLUNTEER

We need help to man the gallery! We keep the gallery open in the week before the auction to let people  come and admire the artwork, we also need some volunteers to help us run the auction on the day. If you think you can spare a couple of hours to help make the auction a success then give Dee an email on 

BID

There's always a real buzz to the Harbour Arm on auction day - come along, have a glass of wine and go home with an original bit of artwork. You won't  miss out even if you can't make it on the day - pop into the gallery to put a bid on any of the work that catches your eye during the week.

Why?

We are extremely grateful to everyone who gets involved and makes this possible. Last year the auction made over £7000 with entries from Tracey Emin and Grayson Perry as well as David Cameron and Jo Brand.  The money is vital to helping families overcome domestic abuse. 

For further information contact Dee Murphy by emaildee.murphy@oasisdaservice.org or call 07753447237.

Gift Sets Galore

Kent’s competitive roller derby team the Kent Roller Girls once again rallied around and collected an enormous bounty of toiletries for the women and children we support. We received shower gels, bubble bath, shampoo & conditioner, hand & body lotions and toothbrushes by the bucket load meaning the women who come to our refuge are given a welcome pack of essentials upon arrival. These basic necessities that we all take for granted become very expensive when you have been forced to leave your home and are beginning a new life.

Pictured here on the left is Dee Murphy Community Fundraiser at Oasis Domestic Abuse Service and Clair Waller from Kent Roller Girls.

We also received a large number of beautiful gift sets that we are selling in The Oasis Shop to raise crucial funds for our work with children and young people across Kent.

We are really grateful for the continued support of the Kent Roller Girls and we wish them the best of luck in this years’ British Championships.

Pictured here on the left is Dee Murphy Community Fundraiser at Oasis Domestic Abuse Service and Clair Waller from Kent Roller Girls.

Bin it For Good

The results are in and the anti-litter campaign ‘Bin it for Good’ has raised a tremendous £1,500 during its three months for Thanet charities.

In addition to the money and awareness raised for Pilgrims Hospices, Oasis Domestic Abuse Service and Porchlight, the campaign has reduced the amount of litter dropped on our streets over the three months by an average of 35%. Each charity has achieved the maximum prize pot of £500 each due to these fantastic results.

Launched at the start of September, the three month initiative, which is a partnership between Thanet District Council, The Wrigley Company and Keep Britain Tidy, aimed to change behaviour whilst turning cleaner streets into cash for charities and good causes; and it has worked.

The ‘Bin it for Good’ charity pot logo was proudly displayed on designated public bins around Margate Old Town. The more litter that went into these charity pot bins, instead of on the ground, the more money the featured charity received.

The scheme’s success has pleased all those involved who worked to get it launched.

Cllr. Suzanne Brimm, Cabinet Member for Operational Services, said: “We are so pleased with how the public and local businesses have responded to the scheme and supported it. We have seen a positive change in attitude to dropping litter since the start of the campaign.

“Initiatives such as ‘Bin it for Good’ are a great proactive way to encourage people not to drop their rubbish rather than having to rely on fines. The learning from this project will hopefully inspire some other similar projects in the future around the district.”

Pictured here from left to right the photo includes Rachel van Hoven, Community Fundraising Manager, Porchlight, Loukia Michael Fundraising Manager Oasis Domestic Abuse Service, Jasmin Rose, Environmental Education Officer, Thanet District Council, Darren Scott, Cleansing Operative, Thanet District Council, Steven Hadley, Cleansing Operative, Thanet District Council and Karen Kenward, Community Fundraising Manager, Pilgrims Hospices.

Happy Birthday Frank!

Frank Thorley has celebrated his 80th birthday in style with a party at The Pavilion on the Sands, Broadstairs. Over 300 guests came to wish Frank a happy birthday and enjoyed music by Ben Mills as well as a swing band and DJ.

Frank insisted to his guests that he did not want any presents but that donations to his favourite charities, Oasis Domestic Abuse Service and Pilgrims Hospices would be most welcome. As a result, over £5000 was raised and the money was divided equally between the two charities.

Oasis Fundraising Manager, Loukia Michael, said “We were overwhelmed by the generosity of Frank, who does so much for local good causes, and his guests who were kind enough to donate. This money will make a huge difference to the vulnerable families we support. Oasis and Pilgrims are both local charities doing vital work in the Thanet community”.

The future’s bright, the future’s orange…

Organisations from around East Kent donned their orange clothes on Wednesday 25th November our International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women fundraiser.

To help raise valuable funds, staff at Avante Care & Support’s head office in Faversham not only dressed in orange but took part in various fundraising activities including ‘guess how many orange balloons fit in a Fiat 500’ and ‘guess the weight of the cake’.

Boys and Maughan go Orange for Oasis

Also participating were regular Oasis supporters, Boys and Maughan Solicitors, whose five offices all supported the cause. Ian Priston said, “Our staff were delighted to join in the fun in aid of a very deserving local cause and, on a serious note, we hope that the money raised helps to offer vulnerable families a brighter future”.

Avante's Orange Raffle in aid of Oasis

Oasis supports children and young people both in the refuge and in the wider Kent community and works closely with East Kent College who also took part in the event. Enrichment Officer, Alice Stewart said, “I think Oasis go above and beyond to support our students; making sure that anyone who wants to access their service can do so discreetly and conveniently. It is excellent that we are working with them as together we can provide our students with a safe environment to talk about their lives. “

Oasis Fundraising Manager, Loukia Michael, said “We have followed the lead of the United Nations campaign to Orange the World with this event and would like to thank Boys and Maughan, Avante and East Kent College who together raised £275 and who have also helped us to share our key message that love shouldn’t hurt.

Oasis CEO talks to Thanet Fabians

We would like to thank Thanet Fabians for inviting Oasis to join them on their inaugural meeting. It was invigorating to see so many people who care about their communities, social justice and equality come together. 

The meeting, which focused on an analysis of poverty, how it affects our communities and what can be done to tackle it, was poignant and timely. Kerry Keating, CEO and founder of Thanet Families In Need, spoke on how food banks and food poverty have grown exponentially whilst our CEO, Deborah Cartwright, spoke about the impact that poverty has on women escaping domestic abuse and violence.

Making the decision to leave an abusive situation is always an incredibly difficult time for families, who must leave their homes and belongings. However poverty and domestic violence work together to create a double trap, generating additional difficulties for people trying to escape what is already a dangerous situation. 

The pressure of chronic housing poverty, unemployment, low income, fewer community resources and poor education all undermine resilience and can make escaping violence harder. These factors create situations where poor mental health, low self-esteem, apathy, low aspiration, isolation and a sense of helplessness develop.

Our work in the community, promoting the fact that #loveshouldn’thurt, working to prevent violence and abuse in schools, and working with victims to rebuild their lives helps to build community resilience and combat the some of the negative effects of poverty. 

To read more about the meeting - or get in touch with the newly formed Thanet Fabians you can follow this link.